1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoe construction, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved shoe construction including a ventilated sole wherein upon the shoe being utilized ventilation to the weight supportive sole portion of the shoe is effected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of varying sole construction adapted for varying attendant uses has been developed in the prior art. As may be appreciated, the prior art constructions have been available to address specialized problem situations in the use of footwear. In this connection, there have been several attempts to develop varying sole constructions which may effectively and readily address the problems associated with the foot wear, such as providing varying thrust areas and support areas in an insole as well as a ventilation means. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,978 to Radford formed with a sole including a plurality of intercommunicating cavities that upon walking by an individual the varying cavities in the intercommunicating passageways pump air therebetween and through a permeable inner sole to alleviate perspiration and the like associated with conventional footwear. The Radford patent sets forth an enclosed system whereby only entrapped air within the shoe is circulated limiting its ventilating qualities, as opposed to the instant invention wherein an outside air source is directed to an inner sole construction including a plurality of vanes that continuously pump and direct such air through a permeable cushioning inner sole layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,712 to Menken sets forth a pneumatic or fluid inner sole that may be selectively filled for providing differential cushioning to a shoe sole providing support to those areas anatomically requiring such. The Menken patent fails to provide means for aerating an inner sole to a user's foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,662 to Thompson sets forth a shoe construction including a chamber within the inner sole that may be filled with fluid to provide varying stiffness of foot support to a shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,625 to Cole, et al., provides cavities including fluid passages and chambers therein to facilitate a shock absorption effect in normal thrust situations involving the use of conventional footwear.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,189 to Bates sets forth a support shoe with varying portions of differing firmness to provide various support areas and stability to a user's foot.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved ventilated sole in shoe construction which addresses both the problem of support and aeration of a shoe's interior, and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.